Just The Sake Talking
by Lady Anaira
Summary: While drunk on sake Inuyasha remembers the final battle with Naraku and tries to drown his sorrows of why Kagome left him and for whom and then he has a drunken interlude with Kagome.


_Just The Saki Talking_

_By: Storm Child (Lady Anaira)_

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_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or company, so no suing allowed._

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_The final battle with Naraku had come and gone and some things had changed and his already fragile mind was beginning to break down. After all here he was sitting in a human inn drinking saki with his lecherous friend Miroku, that in itself was a novelty. He had to wonder why the monk had even agreed to come drinking with him after all he had his betrothed Sango to worry about and her anger was intense._

_Truth be told the monk had only come along for his old traveling companion's peace of mind as well as that of Sango's. The female demon slayer had expressed concern for the hanyou's state of mind. After all the half dog demon had lost two people whom were very precious to him and they weren't sure how strong the grief was for Inuyasha._

_Inuyasha on the other hand was thinking precisely of those two people and how he had failed both of them. Kikyou, his former love, well truth be told he knew she never belonged in this world after she had been resurrected. He knew it was her time to go once Naraku was defeated or even with the evil hanyou. He however couldn't bring himself to follow her to hell. He had slowly seen that their was no life in her dull eyes and that her skin was far too cold when she touched him. He had eventually realized that it wasn't his time to die and that Kikyou was not the woman he had loved that her hate blinded her and the spirits of the dead she kept in her body of grave dirt and clay was only delaying the inevitable. After all there was nothing he could do for someone whose fate it was to return once more to the after life._

_Then there was the second woman in his life whom he'd loved, Kikyou's reincarnation, Kagome. __What had happened to Kagome you may ask? Well I'm sure everyone's already heart that story by now. I lost her because of my own stupidity, _with that thought he downed his sixth cup of sake. He loved Kagome far more than he had ever loved Kikyou herself. However he had been too stupid to realize it and had lost her love and her presence in his life. He shouted at the girl for another cup of sake as the memory of her departure came once more to him. 

---

Naraku's miasma carpeted the plateau as he and his elder brother Sesshoumaru battled against the evil hanyou's tentacles with Kagome at his side, although at the moment he had no time to consider that development.. Sango and her boomerang were busy destroying Naraku's poisonous insects so that Miroku could draw in the legions of demons that Naraku was unleashing upon them. Shippou, the little kitsune had been convinced to stay behind with his brother's ward and watched over by Jaken. He didn't trust his brother's retainer but neither did he want to put his youngest companion in any danger that would have upset Kagome. 

As for Kikyou, she had been torn apart by Naraku's tentacles, that had enraged him but he knew it had been a possibility when they entered this battle. After all Naraku had been adamant on destroying Kikyou as she had prevented him from so many things. The Shikon No Tama was the cause of all this destruction and pain and since Naraku held the jewel in its entirety his powers were intensified. Once he held the jewel, well hell he wouldn't truly know what to do with the jewel once it was in his hands, he was sure he didn't want to be a full fledged demon anymore but neither did he want to be human, anyone who held a grudge against him would go looking for him in human form. 

"Kaze No Kizu." he shouted as he unleashed the wind scar on Naraku and his minions. It was then that he noticed that Kagome and Sesshoumaru had made their way to the frontlines and they were standing off against Naraku.__

_Crazy wench.__What's she trying to pull now, _he thought to himself although out loud he cried out "Kagome." He knew she was in danger from where she stood so close to the evil hanyou. Even if his brother Sesshoumaru was there and they had a temporary alliance, he wasn't entirely sure that his brother wouldn't sacrifice his beloved Kagome if he had the chance. He saw as Kagome turned to his brother what she was saying he wasn't sure not even his sensitive ears could hear from such great a distance although he noticed that Sesshoumaru's head moved slightly in a nod. Those two were up to something but he wasn't sure what it was. Then he saw that Kagome pulled an arrow from he quiver and notched it. He could feel her sacred power magnifying itself and encircling the arrow head and then just as suddenly she fired it at Naraku. The arrow blazed like a falling meteor and in its wake of pink light he saw Sesshoumaru spring towards Naraku his sword blazing with Kagome's miko power. How could his demon sword blaze with the power of a priestess and more specifically he was using Tenseiga. The dolt was using the wrong sword, after all even he knew Tenseiga didn't kill but only revived the dead.

Inuyasha noted that the battle had stopped and everyone stood still watching what the outcome of this endeavor would be. Naraku let out a maniacal laugh at what he thought was another foolish attempt but Inuyasha noted something else. Naraku was so busy focusing on Sesshoumaru that he hadn't even noticed that Kagome was moving towards him as well from the opposite direction as of Sesshoumaru. She was moving so fast that Inuyasha wouldn't have even seen her if it hadn't been for the flare in her powers. Sesshoumaru swung Tenseiga and in a surprising move the sword actually sliced Naraku's head off and it was at that moment that Kagome reached into the cavity of his throat her hand and power purifying the evil hanyou's body leaving in her hand the whole Shikon No Tama which she purified on contact. He watched in shock as Sesshoumaru handed Kagome Naraku's head, it looked like some sick twisted offering although Kagome accepted it and the head of the hanyou purified with her touch effectively ending the life of their greatest enemy. 

Kagome's strength gave way with that show of power and she fell to her knees in exhaustion although she watched as her friends made their way to her. She held the stone to Inuyasha when he approached her. "It's your's just as I promised you it would be."

Everyone gasped in shock as they watched the young priestess for she was handing the stone over as though she wanted no place in making this final decision. Sesshoumaru was a silent figure beside her, his own presence unnerving although they knew he did not desire the stone.

"Why don't you make a wish?' Inuyasha asked his young friend.

"I'm afraid any wish of mine would be prejudiced and an unselfish wish must be made." she explained voice soft, her eyes half closed as sleep threatened to overtake her.

_Unselfish, huh?_ Inuyasha thought, _very well then I wish for Kagome to live happily._

Suddenly the stone disappeared and Kagome collapsed.

---

How he wished he hadn't made that wish after all. He had thought that her happily ever after would be with him but it wasn't to be. Somewhere along the line she had chosen Sesshoumaru and the Lord of the Western Lands had chosen the young miko. Kagome had told him as much when she had awoken.

_I'm sorry, I love him. _Those words kept echoing in his head every day and night and he couldn't even rid himself of them even when he drank sake. 

Miroku's thoughtful violet eyes took in the sight of his friend. Inuyasha was disheveled well at least even more so. "Inuyasha, what's wrong?" the monk asked knowing exactly what was wrong with his friend. However, he also knew that his friend needed to talk about it instead of keeping his emotions bottled up.

"You know damn well what's wrong with me. As I am sure everyone else does." Inuyasha stated loudly, his words slurring effectively showing his drunkenness even as a hiccup escaped him.

Miroku shook his head sending his jet black hair flying. _Poor Inuyasha he truly suffered the most out of all of us when Kagome left. _After all at least they still had some access to the young miko. Inuyasha had been barred from seeing the young priestess or from even seeking her out.

Inuyasha belligerently called for another drink. _I know what you're thinking and maybe you're right. After all maybe the sake isn't helping me but damn it what am I supposed to do. I love that insane woman and at one time she loved me. How I lost her to him, I will never understand. Why she became his mate, well who knows? Hell, I'll never get anything she does. I understand it was my fault. Hell maybe I blame myself more than anyone else knows. If I hadn't pushed her away for so long maybe she'd be in my arms right now and I wouldn't be here drinking with Miroku. _He sighed a frustrated sigh as the thoughts in his head clamored for attention.

"Inuyasha maybe we should go?" Miroku asked suddenly uneasy as he looked towards the doorway.

Inuyasha sniffed knowing his senses were dampened from the sake he had consumed in great quantity but he could swear there was a hint of fear in Miroku's scent and in his eyes. _Why the hell is he scared?_ Inuyasha questioned himself as he raised one bushy silver brow. 

Then he caught a familiar scent as the wind blew in from the open entranceway. _She's here, my Kagome is here, and from the smell of her she's here without her mate. Hell the guy must trust her more than I ever did. His flattened ears perked up as he heard her voice._

Now was his chance, while she was here without her mate he could finally get the answers he felt he deserved.

Miroku watched Inuyasha's facial expressions, he knew this meant trouble as he saw his friend abruptly stand albeit was wobbly.

Inuyasha felt a restraining hand on his arm as Miroku whispered, "Don't you'll only get hurt." He couldn't understand why his friend was restraining him. He willed the fog in his head to lift but it wouldn't, he sniffed the air and noticed that Miroku's fear had spiked, was that it? Does he actually think I'd be able to hurt her. I love her too damn much to ever hurt her that way. He shook off the grasp on his arm and turned to walk to the priestess' side. 

He read the expressions so clearly on her face. Kagome had always been so easy to read, anger shock and lastly fear settled on her perfect features. Her brown eyes swirled with too many damn emotions like always. His own amber eyes turned sorrowful as he finally realized that like the monk, Kagome thought he would hurt her. Keh. Why does everyone think I'm going to do something so horrible?

She nodded her head slightly as she acknowledged his presence, "Hello, Inuyasha." she said her voice soft and demure as a lady's should be.

He knew he was beneath her now, knew he shouldn't even talk to her but he couldn't help himself. "Why? Why did you leave me?"

"I-Inuyasha," her voice stuttered over his name. "I don't think you have any right to question me."

"I think I do." he said his voice rising in anger. "I love you, and you left me alone. Did you think it wouldn't hurt? Do you think it still doesn't hurt still to think that you left me for him?" his words were slurred but damn it he needed to know. _I know its wrong to put her in this position to back her into a corner and force her to answer my questions but I need the answers._

"I knew it would hurt you and guess what I wanted it to. Don't act as though you hadn't been hurting me as well running back and forth between Kikyou and me. Did you honestly think I wouldn't get tired of it? So honestly, don't act like you're the victim here it doesn't suit you."

"I knew I hurt you but damn it wench I still love you."

Kagome gasped she had never grasped how much he cared but it was too late she loved another and had even become his mate. "You are far too late Inuyasha, I don't love you anymore."

"Why him? Tell me why it had to be Sesshoumaru?"

"Your brother loved me when I felt no one did. He courted me for a good year before the final battle with Naraku. He had now trouble telling me he loved me. It was that that I realized I loved him with all my heart and the feelings I felt for you were only because Kikyou had died hating and loving you at the same time."

"You love him? Damn it Kagome, why did it have to be my bother though?"

"Because you were too late." she said her voice filled with sadness at his pain.

Miroku didn't know why he let this foolishness go on for as long as it had. He paid their bill and walked towards the sad pair. "Gomen nasai, Lady Kagome of the Western lands," he said emphasizing her title and Kagome straightened. "Inuyasha does not know what he speaks. It's just the sake talking." 

Kagome nodded her head in understanding as Miroku pushed Inuyasha out the doorway.

_Just the sake talking._ Inuyasha thought as a lone tear slid down his cheek as he realized that she truly loved Sesshoumaru and not him and not to mention that her feeling had only been left over from Kikyou.


End file.
